Severe Weather

Sandy retired from tropical storm name list

Sandy is being retired from the list of tropical storm names because of the catastrophic damage its massive size and strength caused along the East Coast last year.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials say the name Sara will take its place. Sandy was retired Thursday from the official list of Atlantic Basin tropical storm names by the World Meteorological Organization's hurricane committee.

Storm names are recycled every six years unless they're retired because of extreme damage or a considerable number of casualties.

Sandy is the 77th storm name taken off the list since 1954. The National Hurricane Center has attributed 72 deaths from Maryland to New Hampshire directly to Sandy, though some estimates were higher.

It wiped out entire neighborhoods and was one of the country's costliest natural disasters.

Get the updated 2014 WESH 2 Hurricane Tracker app

Get the updated 2014 WESH 2 Hurricane Tracker app

Download the free WESH 2 First Alert Weather Hurricane Tracker app with an all new design and several improvements in 2014! Available for iPhone and Android devices on the Apple App Store and on Google Play.

When you load the app, you'll see the Threat Meter, which shows you the tropical weather risk. The Threat Meter is now more detailed.

Receive optional push alerts on iOS and Android with important information during storm season.

You'll get the very latest cone maps right inside of the WESH 2 First Alert Weather Hurricane Tracker app.

You'll also find information on a storm's current location and speed.

The app also shows the "spaghetti models," or the various computer models that meteorologists use to predict a storm's path.

Learn how you can prepare for a hurricane under the Prepare tab, using checklists and videos from our First Alert meteorologists.

The free Hurricane Tracker app for iPhone and Android devices will also keep you up-to-date on the latest tropical weather news and video from WESH 2.

When the storm gets bad, click the Live tab. You'll get real-time updates and live video from the WESH 2 News and the First Alert Weather team to keep you safe.

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